The best gadgets for summer vacation time

After a cool, wet couple of months for those of us in northern Europe, I am reliably informed that summer will soon be upon us, while our neighbours in southern countries have already been sweltering in the heat. Either way, vacation season is here and many of us will be looking forward to a break. So, what gadgets can help us make the most of whatever the weather throws at us? Here is my roundup of the good, the… interesting, and – as usual – some weird stuff.

Many of us will still be working from home during the next few months, so what about the Ampera Office Bike for starters? This not only lets you exercise at your desk, it also charges your phone at the same time.

Or if keeping cool is your priority, there are plenty of solutions out there. Air conditioners that hang around your neck now seem to be a thing. This one from Ranvoo also has a heat setting for cooler climes, an app to control its functions and an “AI mode”, although I’m not exactly sure what that does. If you can get used to something literally freezing the hairs on the back of your neck, this could be for you.

Need some hydration? Fruit used to be a relatively cheap treat, but as prices get higher we have started to see more reports of undernourishment affecting millions of people around the world. Despite this, there seems to be a growing appetite in richer economies for so-called “premium” fruit – like the Rubyglow pineapple , which is retailing for an incredible $399.59 in the US. If you do manage to get your hands on some fruit for less than $400, you might like this keg tap that gets the juice directly from it. I can sort of see the appeal of getting fresh watermelon or pineapple juice, but pumpkin? I think I’ll pass.

As for other gadgets, underwater wireless communications has yet to be considered a viable candidate for 6G networks, and with the only apparent application so far restricted to industrial solutions , I might have to content myself with this ProShot underwater filming kit for capturing diving footage. Serious amateur swimmers should also check out these smart swim goggles , which are the first to have an AR display. Just watch you don’t hit the side of the pool or another swimmer because you’re too busy looking at your stroke rate.

And for the person who really does have everything (including their own swimming pool), there is the Beatbot robot pool cleaner. I’m not sure it’s quite up there with my old favorite, the robot barbecue cleaner - currently offering 15% off using the code “SIZZLE” at the checkout - though.?

Then, because you’re not messaging or on social media enough, what about Spectacles from Snap Inc., the company behind Snapchat. If you are young enough to be on Snapchat, you could share whatever you are doing, straight from your shades – if only they were actually on sale.

Whatever I end up doing this summer, my faithful hound, Deema, won’t be far away. And our furry companions also deserve to spend the summer in comfort. So, neither of these is particularly innovative, but I’ll be buying a foldable pet swimming pool or sprinkler pad , and some paw butter (for when the pavement is too hot), so she can enjoy herself too. However, I’m less convinced by these matching human and pet baseball caps ??.

While I’m optimistically hoping for sunshine, we probably need some back-up solutions if the mercury doesn’t rise enough. So you might want to put this smart umbrella from Kisha on your shopping list. It pairs with your smartphone via Bluetooth and sends reminders to take the umbrella with you if there’s a possibility of rain. If it could also send me reminders not to leave it behind on the train or in a taxi, I’d be even more impressed.

Last but not least, if you are planning to raise a glass of something cool to your lips, there is always this levitating cup , for a bargain price of $219.95. To be honest, the only thing I can think of to say about this is: why?

Have a great summer.

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Photo credit: igoriss, iStock